PORTAGE, MI -- On the verge of losing his job as superintendent of Portage Public Schools, Ric Perry appears to have a Plan B in place: Opening one or more K-8 charter schools, possibly in Grand Rapids, that would feature the Internationale Baccalaurate curriculum.

Perry, who was named Portage's permanent superintendent in March, said he has been working on the project since last January and is in the process of forming a nonprofit to operate the schools.

As to why he launched this project at the same time he was
seeking to be Portage's permanent superintendency: "I
wasn't necessarily thrilled with many aspects of the
superintendent job in PPS," Perry wrote in an email to Mlive/Kalamazoo Gazette. "Looking forward, if I didn't like the job I
was not
going to stay long term and I found something that was interesting to me
and
could positively impact many children and families from underrepresented
groups. I was helping someone else with the applications that would be
the
primary party so if I did decide to stay in PPS the initiative would
still move
forward."

The news is the latest twist in the controversy involving Perry, who is currently on paid suspension and facing a hearing that could result in his termination related to an alleged inappropriate relationship with a co-worker.

Perry's involvement with the charter school proposal came to light after he contacted a member of the John Ball Park Community Association, which serves the John Ball Park neighborhood in Grand Rapids.

The email was sent at 1:51 p.m. Nov. 29, two days after the Portage board held a three-hour
closed door session with its legal counsel, apparently to discuss Perry's job status.

Perry's Nov. 29 email reads in part: "I am with a non-profit group that is looking into starting a
school in your neighborhood. The school would begin as an elementary with a
goal of increasing it into a K-8 school. We would really like an opportunity to
gain some community insight and input into whether a school in your area would
fill a need or not. We would be starting an International Baccalaurate Primary
Years School (PYP). The school would be open free of charge to all local
children."

The email made its way to Jon O'Connor, a member of the neighborhood association who also is a member of the Grand Rapids Public Schools Board of Education.

O'Connor said that he found Perry's plan "very disturbing," considering that Grand Rapids Public School has its own plan to open a K-8 IB arts academy.

"I'm befuddled that someone who is a public school superintendent would think they could open a charter school in another district without talking to that superintendent," O'Connor said. "That's very disturbing to me."

O'Connor said that he and two Grand Rapids school administrators called Perry and questioned his intentions.

O'Connor also said that he called Portage board President Bo Snyder, who was seemed "shocked" that Perry was making such plans.

Since then, O'Connor said that he's become aware that Perry may lose his job in Portage. "Knowing the situation, it appears that he's looking for his next gig," O'Connor said about Perry.

In an email to Mlive/Kalamazoo Gazette today, Perry wrote: "I have been working on some potential options for the future
since January. Part of what I have been involved with involves managing schools
in other areas. I spoke with a GRPS Board member that I understand contacted
someone on the PPS Board about this. I did not speak with him as the Superintendent
of PPS nor did I use any PPS devise for my communications."

Perry's emails said that he is in the process of starting up a nonprofit to operate a charter school and "it is still in the approval stage by the IRS."

Perry said that he and his other partners are still working on locations for the schools and how many.

"Locations yet to be
determined," he wrote. "I would prefer to start with one but there are other opportunities
that might come into play."

He said he can't name the other partners because "there are many pieces and I do not want to jeopardize any of them."

A longtime Portage administrator, Perry was named interim superintendent
in June 2011. Nine months ago, he was named to the post permanently and
negotiated a contract that runs through June 2014.

However, in
September, the board authorized its legal counsel to investigate rumors
that Perry was having an inappropriate relationship with a Portage
school employee.

The board has said the investigator's
report confirmed the rumors and indicated that Perry
had violated his contract. A week ago today, they voted 7-0 to suspend
Perry with pay pending a due-process hearing to decide on his
termination. They also signaled that termination was likely, voting to
start the search for a new superintendent.[Click here to read board's Dec. 14 statement.]

Perry is president of the International Baccalaureate Schools of
Michigan, and was instrumental is establishing an IB program in Portage
Public Schools. IB is an international curriculum that stresses rigor and preparation for higher education.